Gift Stars team and officials. Photo: Abdulkadir Muse Osman (Naani).
By Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar
Once banned by Al Shabaab terrorists, Somali women’s basketball is once again shining, and thanks to Gifted Stars women’s team for finishing 3rd place in the Arab Club women’s championship which came to a conclusion in Morocco on Tuesday 12th of September 2023.
Gifts Stars Chairman
Gifts Stars chairman, Said Ibrahim Hussein, said that his team’s participation in the Arab women’s basketball was a significant development for the country and ended many years of Somalia’s absence from international women’s basketball gatherings.
“Somalia was once well known for basketball, but our sisters were denied access to the sport. Now I am very delighted that Somali women have once again shown wonder in the Arab Club women’s championship and we have finished in the 3rd place” said Gift Stars chairman, Said Ibrahim Hussein, who hopped that in the years to come Somalia can win a trophy.
“No matter the length of our absence from the world of women’s basketball, but our women have shown the world that our basketball power still stands. We will continue playing the game and hopefully Somali women’s national basketball team will soon be able to show a wonder in the international calendar,” Gift Stars chairman, Said Ibrahim Hussein adds.
“Now we have only our senior women’s team active, but we are planning to have youth teams raging from U-12 to U-21, because we want the young girls to have equal opportunity to enjoy basketball,” chairman Said Ibrahim Hussein noted.
Other Women’s Sport in Somalia
Different sporting competitions are played in Somalia, but Somali women once only played basketball, handball, volleyball, taekwondo and Athletics before they were banned by Al Shabaab militants, but now that the government forces are defeating the terrorists who became very weak, it seems that people are defying their orders.
Women in handball, volleyball, taekwondo and Athletics have not yet returned to the platform, but according to some reports these federations intend to resume women’s activities.
Women’s football was never played in Somalia, but the football federation recently formed a women’s football development department. They commenced some activities ranging from awareness workshops and indoor training sessions as part of the acceleration campaign of women’s football in Somalia.
It is hoped that in the years to come, Somali women’s football teams will be active in the international calendar.
